The present invention relates to a special purpose stitching apparatus. More particularly, the instant invention relates to an apparatus intended for use in the securement of string to a volume of hydrophilic foam intended for use in a catamenial device such as a woman's tampon.
One consideration which has led to the present area of inventive effort is that of the rate or speed at which the presently required types of special purpose stitching must be performed. That is, in terms of practical manufacturing needs, it is necessary to attain a production rate on the order of thousands of stitching operations per minute. Accordingly, many prior art approaches to the stitching problems herein involved may have been adequate for achieving a stitching of the present nature, however, at lower production rates than are required by present day production and management standards.
Also, the particular stitching, looping and tying functions required in the manufacture of the present hydrophilic foam tampon are sufficiently complex so as to preclude their repetition at desired rates, if prior art machinery were utilized.
It is to be noted that the present invention relates to a sub-system of a larger production apparatus utilized in the general preparation and fabrication of catamenial devices. Said apparatus is presently the subject of a parent application Ser. No. 575,200, filed on May 7, 1975, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION OF CATAMENIAL DEVICES, which application is herein incorporated by reference.